Chomeiji Temple Three-Storied Pagoda: Completed in 1597
The Chomeiji Temple Three-Storied Pagoda (長命寺三重塔, Chōmei-ji Sanjū-no-tō) is a Momoyama-period three-storied pagoda at Chomeiji Temple in Chomeiji-cho, Omihachiman City, Shiga Prefecture, and was designated an Important Cultural Property in 1923.
The Agency for Cultural Affairs dates it to 1597 and describes it as a pagoda three bays square with three roofs, covered in wooden shingles (Kokerabuki). Three ridge tags (Munafuda) are designated with it as attached items.
According to the Shiga Prefecture encyclopedia, the date comes from inscriptions on the bronze finials (Giboshi) of the balcony railing, which suggest the pagoda was essentially finished that year. It stands east of the main hall.
A Slender Early Modern Profile
The encyclopedia gives the first storey of the Chomeiji pagoda a width of 4.85 metres between its corner posts and the whole structure a height of 24.35 metres, about five times its width. That height relative to the base, it notes, is typical of early modern pagodas.
The same source calls the Chomeiji Temple Three-Storied Pagoda an important example for understanding Momoyama pagodas, built when proportional systems and joinery had matured. Its completion some eighty years after the fire of 1516 also marks how far the temple's recovery had come. The pagoda was designated an Important Cultural Property in 1923, together with its three ridge tags.
Of the six designated buildings at Chomeiji, it is the only one roofed in shingles; the other five use cypress bark (Hiwadabuki).
What to Look For
Standing below the pagoda, compare the reach of each roof with the slimness of the body. The eaves spread lightly while the body narrows as it rises, giving the Chomeiji pagoda its tall, lean outline.
A railed veranda runs around the first storey. The inscriptions that date the pagoda are said to be on the railing finials, so the evidence for its age sits not far above a visitor's eye level.
Notice, too, how tightly the buildings are packed. The goma hall stands between the main hall and the Chomeiji Temple Three-Storied Pagoda, so from the western side of the precinct the bark and shingle roofs overlap one another.
Visiting the Chomeiji Temple Three-Storied Pagoda
The pagoda is viewed from outside; no official notice of interior openings could be found. The precinct is open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with no admission fee.
To fit the whole Chomeiji Temple Three-Storied Pagoda in one frame, step back toward the front of the main hall. No official rules on photography were found, so follow any notices on site. Directions to the temple are on the Chomeiji Temple page.
Q&A
- When was the Chomeiji Temple Three-Storied Pagoda built?
- In 1597, during the Momoyama period. Inscriptions on the railing finials indicate it was essentially complete that year.
- How tall is the Chomeiji Temple Three-Storied Pagoda?
- The Shiga Prefecture encyclopedia gives a total height of 24.35 metres and a first-storey width of 4.85 metres.
- When was the Chomeiji pagoda designated an Important Cultural Property?
- On 28 March 1923, together with three ridge tags as attached items.
- Can visitors go inside the Chomeiji Temple Three-Storied Pagoda?
- No official notice of interior openings could be found. The exterior can be seen free of charge from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- How does the roof of the Chomeiji pagoda differ from the other halls?
- It is the only one of the six designated buildings with a shingle roof; the other five are roofed in cypress bark.
Basic Information
| Name | Chomeiji Temple Three-Storied Pagoda (長命寺三重塔) |
|---|---|
| Location | Chomeiji-cho, Omihachiman City, Shiga Prefecture |
| Designation | Important Cultural Property (building) |
| Year Designated | 28 March 1923 (Taisho 12) |
| Quantity | 1 structure (with 3 ridge tags) |
| Dimensions | Three bays square, three storeys, shingle roof; total height 24.35 m, first-storey width 4.85 m (Shiga Prefecture encyclopedia) |
| Owner | Chomeiji Temple |
| Public Access | Exterior open 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., free; no interior opening announced |
References
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Chomeiji Three-Storied Pagoda (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/1405
- National Diet Library Collaborative Reference Database, quoting the Shiga Prefecture encyclopedia (Japanese)
- https://crd.ndl.go.jp/reference/detail?page=ref_view&id=1000102778
- Agency for Cultural Affairs Database: Chomeiji Goma Hall (Japanese)
- https://kunishitei.bunka.go.jp/bsys/maindetails/102/1407
- Saigoku 33 Kannon Pilgrimage Association: Temple No. 31 Chomeiji (Japanese)
- https://saikoku33.gr.jp/place/31
Last verified: 2026.10.04
